Sessomaru and Rin
by Madoka C.C
Summary: It is sweet sweet love story of Rin and Sesshomaru after Naraku is defeated!
1. Chapter 1-2

Love Beyond The Age

Chapter One: Departure

Kohaku returns with Rin safely to the village. The old priestess, Kaede, runs out of her cabin and welcomes them happily. Kohaku is hurt all over the body but his life is not in danger. Rin jumps off A-uhn, the two-headed dragon demon, and cried out: "Kagome is sucked into the underworld by Shinko no tama. InuYasha chased after her!"

"Is Naruku defeated?"

"I don't know! Lord Sessormaru sent Kohaku and I and Jaken back before they started fighting Naruku. They are fighting in Naruku's body, a giant spider."

Kaede does not reply. She puts her hands back and looks thoughtful. The miasma is declining. The life of village is not in danger. And most of the monsters—an ugly moth monster is attacking a villager suddenly, a light flashes in Kaede's old eyes—and in the next moment that moth monster is destroyed by a sacred arrow shot by Kaede. The scared villager tries to get up from the ground but fails. Rin runs over to the villager and helps him to stand up. The villager thanks her gratefully. Rin smiles back.

"Rin!" Sesshomaru is flying toward Rin. Rin immediately recognizes his cool and deep voice and relishes to hear him. She jumps up and down and waves and shouts with excitement. "Lord Sesshomaru! Lord Sessormaru! I am so glad that you are safe! You are so strong!" Rin looks at with the utmost admiration. Jaken also runs to his master Sessormaru and cries with relief and excitement. "Shut up." Sessormaru says impatiently. He is a little bit awkward when the situation becomes so emotional. However, he feels happy to see that Rin is safe here. Looking at her warm smile, the exhaustion of fighting Naruku and the disgusting smell of blood seem all evaporating away from his body.

"Lord Sesshomaru, is everything over? Did you win the fight?" Rin grabs Sesshomaru's clothes. She is still a small girl. He looks at her—frowning his face.

"Yes." Sesshomaru says.

"What should we go next then?" Rin asks. Jaken interjects the conversation to emphasize his existence: "Of course you are not coming with us. You are a mere human child and a burden for Master who seeks solitary journey…"

"Shut up, Jaken." Sesshomaru says coldly, "being with me can be very dangerous, Rin. I want to give you a choice of life. Now I will leave you with Kaede. Three years later I will come to see you again. You can decide that time whether you want to be with humans or with me."

Tears burst out of Rin's soft brown eyes silently, like an endless rain. She is catatonic. Departing from Sesshomaru means the end of the world. Lord Sessormaru is the kindest person. He is like a father, a mother, a lover and lovee. He is the sun, the moon. He is the air. He saved her life from the wolve demons' bite. He was the first one who ever cared about her welfare truly. Now, he is leaving her?

"No, No!" Rin grabs Lord Sesshomaru's legs and will not let them go. Sesshomaru casts the most complicated look on Rin. The look contains emotions which he used to despire: affection, sympathy, love, longing…But Rin is a human after all. She can not live forever. And he is a demon and would never understand or give what she really needs. When she grows older, she will crave for normal things and will get tired of following him around. And what should he do that time?

"Goodbye. Rin." Sesshomaru says it to his heart. He does not look at Rin—he does not dare to look back. Rin, he thinks to himself, must be really really sad.

"Lord Sesshomaru!"

"Lord Sesshomaru!"

"Lord Sesshomaru!"

Jaken, riding on the A-uhn, looks back at Rin and thinks to himself: "It is hard to believe that master is leaving Rin behind. He is so fond of her. If she ever dies, master must take my Jaken's life. However, master is not attached to that human girl after all. Ah, this should be my master whose nature is to despise humans."

"Jaken!" Sesshomaru gives Jaken a very scornful look.

"Nothing, master! I have not thought about anything…" two lines of sweats trickle down the edge of Jaken's face. "Master…are you sure that you don't want Rin to—"

"It's better for her to be at the village." Sesshomaru's cold voice sounds. He is walking slowly as if lingering or savoring everything of this beautiful rural village as a tourist. He remembers his promise he had made with Rin before he took off.

"Lord Sesshomaru: will you come to see me every year?" Under Kaede's arm Rin said earnestly. Her little face was torn into flower of worry.

"Yes." He promised.

At the sun dusk, lonely cloud lays lazily above the canopy of the sacred tree; the shadow of moon is light like a fang. Sesshomaru and Jaken gradually disappear at the line of horizon. Rin watches them until the last part of A-un's tail is out of sight. She is a brave girl and knows crying and tears won't change the present; she must be healthy and staying alive to see Sesshomaru to come back. Kaede is hurt to see how grown up this little girl has been. Maybe a little too fast, she wonders.

Chapter Two Falling in Love

"Master! Master!" Jaken runs ridiculously with his short legs. The imp waves his nitojo and is out of breath. Sesshomaru ignores him completely. Recently, Sesshomaru has become less and less talkative. The aura around him is getting chillier after Rin left, Jaken thinks to himself, am I just imagining it or…

Sesshomaru stops. A beautiful woman in a pink kimono is standing before Sesshomaru. The fan in her hand covers half of her face. Jaken is surprised to see her resemble so much like Kagura. Sesshomaru does not hesitate to tear that woman in half. "hahaha…" the real demon with horns appears when the figure of kagura is turned back to ashes. The demon says coarsely, "you are truly unmerciful man. You don't hesitate even before kagura." Then the demon aims at Sesshomaru's belly with a fork. Sesshomaru dodges adroitly. He tears the demon's body with his poisonous claw with a deep roar. The demon is destroyed within a second. Sesshomaru looks at the corpse and says: "Don't you dare insulting her like that."

"Sesshomaru." Ayame, the dog princess of Northern country, said, "We should get married."

"No." He walked off, regardless of her request.

"Sesshomaru," his mother, the queen of southern country, said to him, "your father already had you at your age."

"So?"

"Oh, my dear son is so shy! Are you afraid of girls? Don't worry, let mommy teach you—"

"Shut up!"

"Ah, even Inuyasha has married now. I just receive the invitation to their first daughter's eighteen months' birthday. Why is only my boy that is still single? How can you let me this mother ever rest?"

"Don't be so fake. As if you ever cared." He shoved back.

"It's been three years," his mother returned back to her real self, "what are you gonna do about that human girl?"

"None of your business."

"Do you like her? Loving a human can be complicated." The queen said to him coldly, " I have already lost a husband. I don't want to lose a son."

It has been three years. Sesshomaru could not believe how much change Rin has taken. She has grown much taller. She has hit the puberty. Her face is smaller than before. Her eyes are brighter and warmer; they are pulling against the thread in his heart. A strange, tumultuous emotion hits the bottom of his heart. He feels so stupid to see her. Rin walks up to him with incredibility.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" she runs to him like when she was a little girl. The fresh and soft smell stimulates his acute sense. He tries hard not to lose his calmness.

Rin, Rin, Rin.

Jaken watches his master closely. Lord Sesshomaru seems to hold a special feeling for Rin. Does he really fall in love with Rin, a mere human? Wait, seriously? The great dog-demon who despises the humans the most? Wait… "Jaken!" Sesshomaru hisses.

"Master Jaken! Master Jaken! You look still the same! Very short, indeed!" Rin kneels down and smiles at Jaken. "Who are you in the position to talk to like that?" Jaken snaps infuriously. But sadly no one takes him seriously. Rin's attention is attracted by the kimono Sesshomaru has brough her. It is ocean blue. Rin is a little baffled: why does Sesshomaru give her kimono every year?

"Sesshomaru." An old voice comes from behind. It is Kaede. She steps forward slowly with a wooden crutch. "What is the matter?" Sesshomaru asks. He does not like to see this old woman with her sharp, penetrating eyes. They make him uncomfortable.

"It has been three years. Rin, you remember the choice?" Kaede says, "you are going to choose to become a part of humans or of demons."

"Couldn't I choose both?" Rin asks.

Kaede shakes her head. She touches Rin's head affectionately. "I won't blame your or resent you if you choose to stay with Sesshomaru. Maybe that's the better choice for you." Then she looks down to Rin's hands and changes her face when she sees the kimono.

"Rin," suddenly the always quiet Sesshomaru speaks, "you don't have to be with me."

Rin looks at him with a little discouraged and hurt face. But she says to him that she will follow Lord Sesshomaru forever until she dies and will never regret her decision.

"Will you miss being here?" Jaken asks.

"Surely I love the people." Rin admits, "but Lord Sesshomaru can not be compared with them. I love him."

Sesshomaru's eyes widen and the iris shrink. Love? How funny. Does she know the meaning of this kimono?

"Rin." Sesshomaru says to her, "Come with me."

"Yes, my lord."


	2. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It is hard to know what Lord Sesshomaru is thinking. Rin sits on the back of A-un and stares at the white soft fur of Lord Sessohmaru's tail that is hanging on his shoulder. Suddenly, Rin sneezes. Sesshomaru stops and turns around.

"I am sorry, Lord Sesshomaru," this time Rin sneezes with her hand covering her mouth, "I don't know what is going but I just couldn't stop sneezing."

"Is it because of the pollen?" Jaken asks.

Rin widens her eyes and asks: "What is pollen?"

"Moron, it is the reproductive organ of the flower." Jaken gloats.

Rin nods. Sesshomaru says, "Jaken, goes to find medicine to cure Rin." Jaken reluctantly jumps off A-un's back and scuttles away. Sesshomaru holds Rin around her shoulders. Rin can hear the warm heart-beat inside Sesshomaru's chest. She curls up in his hug snugly. Sesshomaru carefully shortens his nails to not hurt Rin's head while stroking her smooth hair.

"Sesshomaru!"

Rin and Sesshomaru both wake up from each other's comfort. A very dark evil aura is approaching. Quickly dark cloud stacks up in the sky. Small demons and animals all hurry away and hide in their own sanctuaries. Rin is not even half afraid because Sesshomaru is here. He draws out his bakusagai . The bakusagai is shaking with a sheen of green light around its blade.

"Sesshomaru!"

In a shower of roses' petals in a swirl of wind is Ayame. Her long silver hair reaches her feet; her kimono wraps around her lean body with a perfect bow at her back; a lunar mark in the middle of her forehead symbolizes her royal status. Rin looks at her with great amazement, believing this girl must be the prettiest other than Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru puts back his sword into the sheath. He snorts softly.

"Why are you with a human?" Surprised Ayame points at Rin. Human, human, human! Rin thinks with anger: why do they have to hate me? What is wrong with being a human? She has never hurt any demon or human.

"It looks like what mother says is true. You do have a strange penchant about humans like Daiyoguai." She says.

"Rin is my bride." Sesshomaru declares, "I am going to marry her."

What?

What?

Both Rin and Ayame look to Sesshomaru who is the most composed among the three. Quietly, Rin grabs Sesshomaru's left hand. "uh?" Sesshomaru feels the sudden tickling warmth of Rin's soft hand. It feels so different, he thinks to himself, don't you ever dare to let it go.

Ayame coldly watches Rin and Sesshomaru. "Damn you!" she grits her teeth and attacks them with her blades of wind.

Sesshomaru pushes back Rin. The blades of wind do not touch him at all because of the barrier of his Bakusagai. The blades of wind are repelled back to Ayame. Ayame jumps to the left and snaps her finger. The blades of wind disappear. She slits her eyes. A grudge shows up in her face. "Humans and demons can never be together. Heed my words." Then she leaves with the rose petals wind.

Jaken is hiding behind the stone. He watches the entire show with fear. "Jaken!" Sesshomaru says, " come out."

"Master Jaken! How come you are there the whole time! How mean you are not to tell me!" Rin is very embarrassed.

Jaken thinks to himself: you are so love-doey with Sesshomaru even I call you you wouldn't notice. Yet he takes out the herb. "This herb can cure sneeze," he grumbles. "Thank you, Master Jaken." "Huh." Jaken says haughtily. But Princess Ayame can be a problem. She will not give up until master agrees to marry her. Of course he prefers her to Rin. The blood must be pure. A half-demon as a son is only ruining the reputation of his greatest master. Ah, Jaken sighs with sentimentality. Well, why does he care when master does not even give a damn? Rin—Jaken turns to look at Rin who is talking incessantly about interesting things happened in the village—what a great trouble!

"Sango and Miroku have three kids. I have helped her deliver all three. They are so cute!"

"Yes."

"Look at that lily! It is so white."

"Ah," Jaken sighs.

"Don't sigh, Master Jaken! You look like an old geek. But if you think about happy things and smile like flowers, I am sure you can grow into a bigger old geek."

"AhAhahah! Rin! Don't call me short, or small! I am the great imp who is serving the great Lord Sesshomaru…"

"Master Jaken is short. Master Jaken is short. Why are you so small? Why are you so old?" Rin sings happily. Teasing Jaken is one of her great amusements in the world.

"Rin!" Sesshomaru says, "be quiet."

"Yes, my lord."

"Rin," Seeshomaru, " you can talk now." Rin exhales with relief.

"Rin."

"Yes?"

"Are you happy?"

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru."

"Good."

"Lord Sesshomaru."

"What is it?"

"Ayame…that girl…who is she?"

"I don't know."

"Rin."

"Yes?"

"Why do you choose to be with him?

"why…?"

Sesshomaru pauses and looks down to Rin's face. Her profile is flat. Her little mouth is slightly open as if inviting him to kiss. The eyelids are half-closed. Thin eyelashes shake quietly, like the beating of her unsure heart.

It is okay, he comforts himself, if she says she—

"Because without you I can not live."

"Because I am really worried, Lord Sesshomaru."

"Because I am truly scared, Lord sSesshomaru. When you are not around me, I start crying and crying and crying."

"Rin." Sesshomaru holds Rin' face toward her, "Stop it." Don't cry. HE licks her mouth. They kiss. They kiss again. They kiss again and again.

Don't cry, he softly says.


	3. Chapter 4

"Kagome, Let's go back to Tokyo." Inuyasha who is lying on the floor and watching sunset says leisurely, "I miss your grandfather's roasted frog."

Kagome wears white shirt tucked into red pants. She looks just like Kyko. But unlike Kyko who is always gentle, Kagome is—Inuyasha licks his mouth—fierce. If she had been a demon, she must be a dog-demon. Kagome finishes her laundry in the yard and comes inside for InuYasha's help.

"Can you take me to the bone-eater well? I am afraid that Rin must be waiting for us."

"Are you really sure to bring Rin and Sesshomaru to your world?" Inuyasha stoops to let Kagome climb onto his back.

"Yes."

"If Sesshomaru accidentally killed any fragile being, don't expect me to help."

"Okay. Okay. Let's go! Good boy." Kagome touches Inuyasha's soft white hair.

"Don't treat me like a pet dog!" Inuyasha grumbles.

Rin and Sesshomaru are already waiting there for them. But Jaken is not there.

"Where did Jaken go?" Kagome asks.

"Master Jaken is training really hard." Rin answers.

In the coldest part of the fairy desert, Jaken is dragging the dragon beast. "Ah chou!" he sneezes.

Rin smiles, "So we just come here by ourselves then." But the truth is—"Master Sesshomaru, I jaken would never let the filthy humans foul your pure presence! Master Sesshomaru you must not go! Oooo-" Jaken was crying and all that. But master jaken is always sentimental. He will recover quickly. Rin thinks to herself.

"Sesshomaru, how come you are interested in human's world as well?" Inuyasha asks.

"Rin wants to see it." Sesshomaru says calmly.

"Sesshomaru, you are so nice to Rin." Kagome says. Inuyasha grumbles. Kagome glances at him and thinks what a big jealous boyfriend he is. But Rin is getting prettier each day. She might have other boys liking her too. Will Sesshomaru be jealous? Kagome watches Seeshomaru with interest. Sesshomaru is busy watching Rin not fall off his arm. But he feels Kagome's eye and looks up to her. "Ah! How cold!" Kagome shivers and thinks to herself with terror. Immediately she goes back to Inuyasha who is awfully quiet until now.

They travel through the bone-eater well to the modern Japan. Kagome's mother and grandfather and her little brother all come to welcome her and her friends.

"Kagura!" Sesshomaru's face sharpens.

Kagome and Inuyasha are confused. Sesshomaru disappears into the crowd that was passing through the road.

"Sesshomaru, come back!" Kagome yells. "Kagura?" Rin asks. Didn't that lady die before Lord Sesshomaru?

"Kagura's reincarnation, probably." Inuyasha smells the air. It was a very faint scent. Kagura. Did Sesshomaru believe he can bring Kagura back like kyko? What is he thinking-

"InuYasha, come on! We have to find Sesshomaru." Kagome shouts.


	4. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Sesshomaru does not expect to find Kagura's remaining trace in this world. Kagura, Sesshomaru says quietly in his heart. It is a girl who wears the same uniform as Kagome does. She is holding a stack of books. Sesshomaru steps near her. She steps backward as if afraid of him. He does not like her fearful eyes. He does not like her going away from him. So he grabs her shoulders. Don't die. Don't disappear from him again.

"Let it go!" The girl wriggles out of his grip. She must have no memory of whatsoever. Sesshomaru points his finger at the girl's forehead: a long silver thread comes off his fingertip and goes into the girl's forehead. She lets out a shriek and then falls onto the ground, unconscious. The pedestrians all stare at this "cos-play" man. Some of them call the police.

"Please come here! A weird pervert is attacking a high-school girl!" someone says to the phone.

(I am going to change every present tense into past tense. Sorry for the inconvenience!)

Sesshomaru heard him. He felt confused. What was a pervert? Was that person talking about him? How was he a pervert? All he did was to return the last bit of Kagura's legacy to her. The girl in High school uniform slowly woke up. But this time her eyes looked different.

Kagura. Sesshomaru looked into the girl's dark brown eyes.

"Sesshomaru." The girl slowly said.

"Don't need to thank me, Kagura" He turned around and was leaving.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagura said, "How did I end up here? Did..Naruku die? How was I still alive…" The urgency of her voice stops Sesshomaru. His face was frowned yet he still looked handsome and even…holy.

"I want my heart back." Kagura looked at this man who saved her again with complicated feelings. She loved him. Did he love her back? "I want my body back. I want to go back. Back. With you." Her voice sounded croaky. Kagura dropped her shoulders. She missed him. She missed him so much.

Sesshomaru looked down at Kagura. This woman, he wondered, was special.

"Yes." Sesshomaru calmly said to her.

Rin was eating a chocolate-chip-caramel icecream cone with Kagome and Inuyasha. She stick out her tongue to lick the top of the icecream and sucked it back quickly as if the coldness hurt her. They just went shopping in the mall. Wearing kimono from medieval Japan attracted unnecessary attention. Kagome bought Rin a pink shirt top and a short white skirt layered with lace. She couldn't tell if Rin really liked this outfit. But at least Rin didn't appear to hate it. "Ah." Kagome sighed.

"InuYasha, where did your brother go? " Kagome asked.

"Ha. He must be out of Tokyo." Inuyasha said.

"His sense must be really acute. Chasing kagura who is not even in Tokyo."

"Don't underestimate our ability of dog demons!" Inuyasha said gloatingly.

"Sure, sure." Kagome sighed again and looked up to find that Rin was not here.

"Rin! Rin!" Kagome was very frustrated, "How come they just can't be still for a while?"

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha ran out. Kagome ran after him. "Kagura." Kagome was dead frozen when she saw the high-school girl who was standing beside Sesshomaru. No, that can't be possible. Kagome looked closer and found out that girl was nothing like Kagura at all. But—

"Kagura!" Inuyasha shouted, "Che, You stank just like Naraku."

"Really, Kagura. You are back." Kagome said.

Kagura rolled her eyes.

"Miss Kagura, did Lord Sesshomaru find you?" Rin stepped forward.

Kagura nodded. So he was still with Rin. OMG, was he really into humans?

"Rin." Sesshomaru bent down to stroke Rin's hair, "We need to get back." Rin nodded.

"Kagura," Kagome said, "I am sorry."

"Sorry? Why, I don't remember you betraying me. Maybe you did. But I didn't know then. But why should I care? I am going to get my heart back. I am going to live like a goddman freaking demon for the first time." Kagura laughed shrilly.

"Hey Kagura, how did you know you were still a demon?" Inuyasha sneered, "Now you are only just a fraction of your soul that attached onto this human body."

"That's why I need my heart." Kagura looked at InuYasha with disgust.

"You are just like me." InuYasha said quietly.

For a moment she was furious at Inuyasha. Then she was frustrated with herself because she knew what he said was true. But it was too cruel for her to accept. Now that she had a second chance, she must hang on to it.

Kagome said to Kagura:"There is nothing wrong with half-demon. Half-demon can be powerful too. Inuyasha was powerful. Naruku was powerful too."

Kagura left with Sesshomaru and Rin. They went back to the medieval Japan. Jaken was waiting for them. He was struck when Kagura climbed out of the well.

"Ahhhhhhh! You woman! Youuuuuu" Jaken was speechless.

Rin closed Jaken's open mouth. "Master Jaken your breath is so stinky. You need to be more considerate toward others. "

Kagura snorted.

"Master Sesshomaru, is that why you aksed Jaken to the flowery desert to bring back the seed of demon power?" Jaken said.

"The seed of demon power?" Kagura was very surprised. Did he know all along?

Sesshomaru didn't know Kagura was there. But his Bakusagia and Tenseigia told him. A very powerful demon on the other side of the bridge was calling him. Kagura. He didn't expect it to be her.

Kagura took over the seed of demon power. She swallowed it. Then her face was transformed. Her eyes grow sharper and her mouth wider. Her nose went straighter. Her iris turned into a bloody red. Her ears became long like imps. Her body cackle; thin cover of clothes bursted into pieaces. Wind roared relentlessly. And yes. Her power was back. And yes. With a suppressed and painful feeling in the chest, a heart was grown within Kagura.

Sesshomaru watched with interest. He didn't know the seed of demon power could really grant everything the demon wanted. A heart. He frowned and thought hard. What a stupid woman.

"Miss Kagura, you can wear this kimono." Rin said to Kagura. Kagura didn't thank Rin but took the Kimono. Inwardly she felt jealous to Rin because of Sesshomaru's affection to Rin.

"Like he ever wanted me." Kagura made fun of herself in her head.

"Rin." Sesshomaru said, "We are leaving."

"Is Miss Kagura coming with us?" Rin asked. Jaken was almost tripped by himself when he heard that question. There was no way he would want that disrespectful, scary, some windsocer to come along with master, especially the fact that she fancied him!

"Lord Sesshomaru…"

"Kagura, you can do whatever you want." Sesshomaru said, "I didn't do anything."

Kagura was silent.

"Let us go." Sesshomaru said to Rin and Jaken.


	5. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

When she left them that day, he knew she would come back.

Moon narrowed its eyes and warm light dangled upon the limped side of the mountain.

There was her. Kagura. Sesshomaru was silent.

"I come here to say goodbye." Kagura said. Her voice was soft and clear…just like tonight's wind. She smelled good too, like the first bloom of lotus.

"I come here to say goodbye." She repeated. She was a little different today. Her hair was worn down on her shoulder. It made her look a little weak.

"Goodbye, you." She said to him.

Sesshomaru was silent.

"Why don't you talk to me?" she whispered and came closer to him. "Sesshomaru. I loved you. Did you know that?" Under the moonlight he could see clearly whirls of winds in her mysteriously red eyes, so shiny like diamonds. Kagura lifted her toes and reached for Sesshomaru's face. Her cold hands held his head tight. Sesshomaru did not move. He was just there, watching her. She pressed against his lips for a long…long time.

It tasted salty. Was that her tears?

"Sesshomaru!" Kagura cried out when Sesshomaru slowly wrapped his arms around her back.

"Did you know me? Did you remember me at all?" her voice was broken.

Sesshomaru didn't answer. He kept kissing her. He kept kissing her. And he kept kissing her.

"Master…" Jaken stopped talking when he saw this. He pushed Rin into the bushes.

"but lord Sesshomaru…" Rin protested. "Leave him alone, you dumb girl." Jaken scolded. Ah, even Lord Sesshomaru had grown up and liked girls.

Sesshomaru thought Kagura was a special woman. A woman that he wouldn't mind dealing with. She was like a breath of his own—so light and so fragile.

"Goodbye." Kagura loosened her grip.

Sesshomaru looked straight into her eyes. "You are crying." He sounded confused.

Kagura wiped off her tears. "Oh? That must be your imagination." She would not let him see her weak side. "I must go." She said.

"Do you where to go?" he asked.

"Anywhere. This world is limitless."

"Don't die."

"I won't." Kagura said to him, "You don't die, too."

Then she was gone with the wind.

Sesshomaru continued climbing through the mountains. Jaken and Rin followed him carefully, keeping a constant distance.

"Seeshomaru is such a philanderer." Inuyasha said to Kagome, "I would only choose one."

Kagome said to him: "Oh? You were like that with Kikyo and me too." She resumed mopping the furniture again.

Inuyasha moved a stack of books near the table. "No. I loved Kikyo. I didn't want to betray my feeling. But I love you too. I can't lose you too."

Sesshomaru must be like that too. Double standard idiot. "Sit boy!"

"What was that for?" Inuyasha whose face crashed into the floor protested.

"Nothing." Kagome walked off haughtily. Yeah, Kikyo. She thought with jealousy. He would never forget that woman…Kikyo…but if not for her how could she relate to Inuyasha? Was he…really looking for kikyo through me?

"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin sat down by him under a birch tree. "Are you hungry?"

"No."

"Are you thirsty?"

"No."

"Are you tired?"

"No."

"Are you sad?"

"…a little."

Rin leans forward to hug Sesshomaru. But she could not make a full hug because she was too small.

"Is it because of Miss Kagura?" Rin asked.

"Yes."

They never had secrets between them.

"You love her?"

"I don't know."

"Do you like her like you like me?"

Sesshomaru was silent. Rin waited patiently for the answer. But it never came.

Wind blowed and blowed. It was a breeze. It was a symphony of nature. The mountain seemed to convey message through the shuffling of the leaves and waving of flower beds and grasses. Rin felt a little unsure.

She was scared that Sesshomaru might disappear one day.

She hated Miss Kagura so much at that moment because Kagura was going to take Sesshomaru away from her.

Rin was ashamed.

Tonight, a sleepless night.


	6. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Kagura was flying on her feather boat in the air. The air was cool. If Naraku died, her heart might die as well.

But now she had this seed demon heart—suddenly her feather boat was falling straight down, losing to the earth's gravity. The moon! All of sudden, her chest was swelling to the point of extreme pain. With much struggle Kagura was managed to land on top of a mossy ground.

Waving her fan, Kagura set up a barrier. But her barrier was very weak. Anytime a weak demon like shippo can break it easily. What was the fuck going? Kagura bit her purple lips hard.

The moon was new tonight.

The moon was new tonight.

This had never happened before.

And today was the new moon.

Kagura grimaced. She should have realized sooner. The seed demon could not turn her into a full-fledge demon. Technically she was a half-demon now. Her human heart was put to sleep for the most of the time until the first day of the new moon. During the new moon, Yin is lost to Yang. Her demon power was replaced with her human heart. Kagura grinned. She breathed hard.

Bykuya pulled out his sword and dived forward to shove off this snake demon's head. The snake demon dodged his attack and shook its tail and tried to wrap around Bykuya's neck to strangle him to death with brute strength. Bykuya jumped up. But his left ankled was caught by the snake demon. Swiftly he was pulled down to the ground. Bykuya released miasma from his bottle. The snake demon shrieked and loosened the grip. Bykuya finally escaped. But he did not forget to take the seed of demon which the snake had protected.

He flew on a cloud for a while.

Naraku's smell!

Bykuya bent down and saw a faintly glowing barrier on the ground. Kagura was unconscious.

"The seed of demon…" Bykuya mumbled when he saw green vines were starting to climb over Kagura's body. If she didn't swallow another seed of demon, she would become the food to nourish the seed of demon. Of course it was not his business. Neither did he care if Kagura was devoured. Gradually, Kagura weakly opened her closed eyes. When she saw Bykuya, she forced out a pale smile. "What are you doing here? I thought you were dead with Naraku."

"What about you?" He asked.

"Brat." She cursed exhaustingly.

Wow. He didn't expect that at all.

"Give me your seed of demon."

"I don't have any."

"Give it to me." She paused and managed a cold laugh,"Or I will kill you."

Wow. Tough nail. He really took a hard time to not to dislike her.

Kagura broke the barrier. Weakly she got up from her knees and she held up her fan—Bykuya thought she was gonna use wind of blades _(but her demon power must be near zero)_ —"Wind of string!" she called. An invisible force was lashing against his way. He tried to avoid. It was too late. The seed of demon was already in Kagura's hand. She swallowed it—desperately.

"Hey." Bykuya looked mad, "What are you gonna do to compensate me?"

Kagura inserted a feather back to her hairbun. She was nonchanlant.

"I owed you one" she said to him. Then she walked off.

"Kagura." Bykuya followed Kagura easily. He tracked her trace easily with the bees. Kagura only snorted.

Stupid Kagura. Bykuya thought to himself. Stupid Kagura. Thief Kagura. Stupid woman. Stupid half-demon. Stupid stupid stupid woman who didn't even know how to take care of herself.

The next day Bykuya woke up finding himself wrapped by a blanket. He shook it off and smelled Kagura's scent. It was her outer layer of the kimono.

"Stupid idiot." He said to her when Kagura showed up with a bunch of mushrooms.

"What?" Kagura looked at him suspiciously.

"Nothing." Bykuya turned away his head, "I wanted my seed back."

"Ah." Kagura answered lazily. From time to time, she would stir the pot. "Who taught you this?"

"My mom." Kagura said calmly.

"Fuck." Bykuya thought, "she had a mom?"

"Fuck." Bykuya said out loud. Kagura lifted her eyebrows and said nothing.

"Fuck." Bykuya said again. "Fuck your mother."

Kagura look at him. Then she laughed. "Yes. Say what you want to say if that makes you feel better." Habitually she put her back behind her ears. She remembered "mother", who was in the other world. Mother was distant. But there were always some small habits of hers that Kagura either had imitated to the heartbeat or memorized. That she was unable to stop recalling that world because of her "mother".

"I don't want to do it." Bykuya suddenly declared.

"Do what?"

"Fuck your mother."

Kagura laughed again. She served a bowl of mushroom soup to Bykuya who only showed disgust to it. "Try it. It is not bad." She said.

Bykuya only looked at her, intensely.

"What is it?" Kagura asked lazily.

"Where did you come from?"

"Why?"

"Why is your name Kagura?"

"it means hope."

"We don't need hope. We demons don't hope." Bykuya said flatly, feeling his mouth dry.

"No, you're wrong." Kagura turned her back to him, saying with softness," I am a half-demon. I need to hope." The word half-demon almost strangled her to death.

Yeah. Hope as much as you want. Motherfucker.

Bykuya rolled his eyes.


	7. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Morning was soon over. Kagome and InuYasha waved goodbye to Rin, Sesshomaru and Jaken. They stayed over in Kagome and InuYasha's cottage for one night.

But they were besieged by thousands of demons on their way to the forest.

"Bakusagai!" Sesshomaru swayed his sword without hesitation. In the moment of blinding lightness, thousands of demons were slayed. Rin clapped her hands. Jaken proudly said: "That's my master Sesshomaru's power!"

But they were celebrating too early.

A sacred arrow was shot from nowhere, aiming at Sesshomaru's Bakusagai. The spiritual power of that arrow cracked the blade slightly.

Sesshomaru frowned. He needed to further train his Bakusagai. But who the heck was behind that arrow? But the arrow didn't seem to just prevent him from further killing. It acted like a signal that gathered the rest of the demons to a certain place. Sesshomaru chased after the demons.

And the perpetrator was—A PREIESTESS—unconsciously Sesshomaru frowned his eyebrows.

The priestess did not even look up; all the demons circle around her, forming a formidable barrier. What the heck?

"I have never seen any priestess as stupid as you." Sesshomaru jeered.

The priestess chuckled:"You must be Sesshomaru. I heard you are powerful." Is that why she sent those lowly demons? To test his ability? How rude. Sesshomaru dived forward and cut through the crowd of the demons without forewarning. An explosion happened. The priestess avoided the blow by jumping onto the branch above her. "Interesting, very interesting." An evil light passed in the priestess's eyes, which made her look more like a demon. The priestess then disappeared into the air, leaving a thin piece of shigigami falling to the ground.

"Why did that priestess attack us?" Rin asked. Sesshomaru was silent. Something was wrong, his sense told him, a big crisis was coming.

Totosai with his mo-mo arrived.

"Totosai." Sesshomaru stared at Totosai who slowly got off from mo-mo's back. "A priestess's sacred arrow cracked my bakusagai."

"Ah, that must been a priestess with a strong spiritual power. But Bakusagai can not be cracked by any spiritual power. It is immune to it because of its barrier." Totosai said flatly and scratched his back of his head, "unless it was mixed with demonic blood."

"I need to make it stronger."

"Let me see your Bakusagai." Totosai examined the back of the sword closely. A strong cloud of demonic aura surrounded the sword's blade. Sesshomaru must feed it with much demon's blood. But a sword didn't get stronger by merely swallowing the blood. Inuyasha's Teseigia gets stronger by defeating more powerful demons and absorbing their power. Bakusaigia was the most ancient sword—it woudld come the closest to the combination of the powers of heaven, hell and earth if Sesshomaru could—-Totosai peeked at Sesshomaru meekly and shivered at the consequence his words would bring to himself and then decided to shut up.

"well, you sword is perfect. There is no other way to perfect it. But I can make it sharper." He gave it back to Sesshomaru.

"Totosai." Sesshomaru said furiously,"Don't expect me to be a fool like InuYasha."

"Well, well," Totosai said weakly, "There is…one way. But I am sure you don't want to do it."

"Tell me."

"You must use it to kill the most important thing to you…like" he pointed his finger at Rin, "Like her." He fixed his dark,odd eyeballs on Rin. Rin hid behind Sesshomaru's back. She felt scared.

Sesshomaru did not say anything. He did not move. That damned totosai.

Totosai sighed. He scratched the back of his head. "nah, if you couldn't do it, then just forget it. Your Bakusguia is already very strong, even stronger than Inuyasha's Teseigia." Totosai said while climbing onto mo-mo, ready to escape from the wrath of Sesshomaru.

Until the moment Sesshomaru almost lost Rin in the underworld had he known how important she was to him. Why did he always have to sacrifice Rin? Sesshomaru tightened his grip on Bakusugia. What would he do? What are other ways he can do to become stronger so Rin will be protected from danger? That woman—the priestess—had a resentment directing Rin. Naraku! Unwittingly he was reminded of the tragedy of Kikyo. That woman, in his eyes, bore the same degree of evils as Naraku did, even worse.

Rin grabbed Sesshomaru's hand. She wanted to tell him that no matter what he chose she would always stand by and understand him with failure.

Totosai hid behind a cloud, secretly watching Sesshomaru's reaction. One thing he purposefully didn't tell him was that Bakusagia would grow stronger if Seshomaru lets go of his greed for power. Bakusagai didn't emerge from Sesshomaru early because of his longing for his father's heirloom. Sesshomaru didn't understand himself after all—he didn't know truly what super potential his body held.

Totosai knew that master _(Daoyaoguai)_ was right not to give Sesshomaru Tesiagia or else Sesshomaru would always be following the shadow of master instead of surpassing him. Totosai took out his smoking gun and took a big breath. His eyes appeared catatonic and stoic. Mo-mo rolled his eyes.

"Oh? Did Sesshomaru change his mind?" Totosai saw him raising his sword against Rin. Ah, Totosaid sighed, Sesshomaru would never be like his father.

Sesshomaru said to Rin: "Stay put." He cut at Rin's shoulder immediately. Rin's face paled and paled. She wanted to scream. But instead, a loud wailing came behind her. She turned around to see: a boar was cut open through his stomach, red blood running out of his body. Sesshomaru drew back his sword. He said to Rin:" You can move now." Rin immediately moved away. "Master Jaken!" she cried out.

Totosai almost thought he was blind or mentally unstable. What a dramatic twist! He flew back to his cage, wondering what Bakusagai would react to Sesshomaru's choice.

Back to the ground.

"Lord Sesshomaru, why did you not kill Rin?" Rin asked gingerly.

Sesshomaru's eyes darkened. "If that's the price I have to pay, then it's wicked and trifling and I don't need it."

Jaken supplied:"Sesshomaru is already the most powerful, the greatest demon without Bakusigia! Of course he will become even stronger, with, with" He was lost in words.

Sesshomaru didn't heed Jaken much. Instead he started flying away.

"Master Jaken! Master Jaken! We are going!" Rin attached to Seeshomaru's tail and waved to Jaken who was still thinking hard to figure out what to say.

Jaken started jumping up and down and complained:

"Why do I always have to be left out? Wait for me, Master Sesshomaru! You don't intend to throw me away, right? Wow, you seem do. No, you don't right? You won't throw away your loyal servant Jaken who has served your honor for thirty five years, now speaking of that today is out anniversary of our relationship…" A pebble hits Jaken's head, striking him unconscious.

"Shut up." Sesshomaru coolly said.


	8. Chapter 9

Hi, Hope every reader of mine have a good day! I can't believe I have made this far. In this chapter I will formally introduce the most important nemesis of Sesshomaru's story. Thank you for keeping reading my story until this far. Please leave me comments so I can keep going...Ah I am really needy person for some reason...Thank you for your guys' supports!

 **Chapter 9**  
Eririn  
Have a good, forgiving heart.  
Love them, not to hate.  
She remembered what he said to her after when other children in the village had thrown those small pebbles upon her face.  
Look at what happened to him. Eririn laughed coldly at the mound under which Enzou, the revered monk of the Temple, had been buried alive.  
The villagers were scared to death when Enzou got caught with a popular disease. Enzou volunteered to become a living Buddha and continued to protect the villagers after his death. The villagers buried him alive. They prayed and prayed for his death. Was he finally a living Buddha? Enzou shook her head. The pious villagers didn't understand. There was no living Buddha.  
Enzou. Enzou. Enzou. Eririn softly called. Priest Enzou was her revered teacher, her only family. Having shown a potent spiritual power in the early age, Eririn was abandoned by her poor family to Priest Enzou. Enzou touched her head softly and told her: "Your name will be Eririn. It means a loving heart."  
She was a good pupil. She didn't want to associate with the villagers. She was contented as long as Enzou stayed beside her.  
Eririn, come to eat.  
Eririn, wear more when go out, it's cold outside.  
Eririn, live strong.  
Eririn…  
She started crying and crying. What a fool! There were so many demons around her. They would devour her in any minute if she showed any weakness.  
Eririn, I don't want to die…  
Eririn, I don't want to die…  
Vehement resentment developed in her eyes. She remembered now: Enzou never wanted to die alive; he never wanted to be a living budha. But those selfish ignorant villagers forced him. They took him away from her.  
And I will seek vengeance.  
The young priestess said so.

"Eririn…" Sesshomaru sank into deep thinking.  
Kagome sat cross-legged on the opposite of Seshomaru. "She is the fallen priestess. I heard she is now gathering a formidable army of demons. Many villages had been attacked."  
"Huhn." Jaken snorted and thought that Sesshomaru shouldn't be bothered by such a lowly class of demons.  
"I can blow all of them away with my Teseigai. Sesshomaru you just need to stay aside and watch me destroy Eririn." InuYasha raised his fist to his chest and declared confidently.  
Kagome looked at Inuyasha confused.  
"Eririn is different. She is a fallen priestess. But strangely she still possesses enormous spiritual power. It seems to me the presence of demonic aura can not contaminate her priestess's power."  
"I have a question," Sango asked, " if she was a priestess like Kagome you are, then she wanted to attack the villagers?"  
Miroku said: "We need to go to that Priest's village to investigate."  
Sesshomaru stood up and said: "Let us go, Rin."  
Inuyasha jumped before Sesshomaru. " Hey, Sesshomaru, are you chickened?"  
Sesshomaru looked down on InuYasha contemptibly: " I am not interested."  
Rin said: "If Eririn attacked us again, Lord Sesshomaru can repel her easily."  
"What?" Sango said, "Eririn attacked you already?"  
"Sesshomaru, she must be after your Bakusagai." Inuyasha with a worried voice, "Hey, hold on to it until I wipe that damned priestess out."  
"None of your bussienss." That damned half-demon. How dare him talking to him, Sesshomaru, like that? A dark cloud of gloom passed on to Sesshomaru's face. He pushed the door open and left, regardless of Kagome and others' words.  
"Don't leave now, Sesshomaru."  
"Better to stay together."  
"Rin might be targeted."  
Sesshomaru hesitated. Kagome was right. Rin was a mere human and he couldn't keep eyes on her all the time. But—Sesshomaru glanced at the irritating-look Inuyasha-leaving her with that brat would prove more dangerous.  
So he didn't hesitate again.  
"Rin." Rin held onto his fur. "Let's go." Sesshomaru said to Jaken.  
"BYE BYE." Rin shouted to them from the middle of the air.  
Kagome sighed.  
This time seemed to be a lot more difficult.


	9. Chapter 10

**_Chapter 10_**

"Where are we going?" On a huge origami bird were riding Kagura and Bykuya. Bykuya wore a piece of brownish hakama and blue haori. He sat crossed-legged and seemed relaxed as opposed to agitated Kagura.

"If you don't tell me, I will jump off the bird." Wind blew against Kagura's face and her cuff was bloated. She grabbed the head of the bird and half-stood.

Bykuya squeezed his eyes. "We are going to have some fun in the town today."

"Uh?"

Bykuya waved his hand. "Never mind. Just sit down and… enjoy."

Such a difficult woman, Bykuya sighed. "Are you really sisters with Kanna? You two are extremely dissimilar."

"Did she die?" Kagura suddenly asked.

"Yeah." Bykuya said, "Naruku disposed her."

Kagura gave a Bykuya sharp and warning look. "You can't talk about her like that. She was the oldest sister. What about others?"

Bykuya said flatly to Kagura: "They didn't survive."

"How come you were…"

Bykuya laughed happily. "I was revived by the seed of demon."

He said with squeezing his eyes.

Kagura fell silent. She knew immediately to let the topic drop now. The bird slowly landed on a street. Kagura and Bykuya both walked into a restaurant.

"This restaurant is good," Bykuya flipped the menu, "um…I want ramen noodles."

Kagura shook her head. She didn't want anything to eat. Bykuya smiled. "It is true that we don't need to eat. But it is good once a while to taste them." Kagura still shook her head. She felt uneasy. This village seemed a bit off. She looked around and couldn't find anything wrong.

Bykuya:"so speaking of the seed of demon, we should be getting another one in the next week."

Kagura didn't hear him. Her eyes were focused on a priestess who stank of demonic power. The priestess noticed Kagura and threw an evasive smile to Kagura. Kagura was shocked. She felt twenty percent of her power was sealed by the look. A scent of roses appeared in the air. The hand which strangled her power was released. Immediately Kagura was able to breathe normally again. Bykuya watched her worriedly. "Thank you." Kagura said weakly to Bykuya who repelled the priestess's sealing with a barrier.

"Who are you?" Bykuya stood up to the priestess. The priestess didn't look up. She stared into the cup and watched the whirl in the middle. Bykuya felt slighted. But he was too polite to start a fight which might risk his life.

But he could not escape, either. The villagers all disappeared. The entire town disappeared. Leaving only thousands of demons which surrounded the priestess and Bykuya and Kagura.

"Half-demon?" Kagura sharply noticed the strong demonic aura which this priestess manifested in the air. The priestess slowly rose up.

"Nice to meet you, I am Eririn."


	10. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
Eririn wore a pair of red long plaited skirt with bow and a white kimono jaket. She tied her hair with a white string. Unlike most priestesses who didn't do makeups, Eririn painted her lips pink—peach pink of the spring. A sword was put on her belt. A natural elegance flows in each of her movement; anyone has seen her must mistaken her as a very noble princess who happened to possess strong spiritual power.  
But—Kagura wrinkled her nose and covered her face with the sleeve—Eririn was corrupted. Without a second thought, Kagura used her blades of wind to attack Eririn. Eririn didn't avoid at all. Rather she simply raised her left hand and the blades of wind were eased into easy breezes. Kagura bit her mouth and thought: "This priestess is special." Almost simultanously she thought of Sesshomaru: what would he do if he were here?  
But Bykuya's yelling pulled Kagura back to the current state. Bykuya manipulated vines to bind Eririn's feet. But when the vines came closer to Eririn, they retreated as if escaping from the danger of a much more evil force. Eririn splinted the vines into half. Miasma spilled out into the air. She made a gesture and recited a spell. The miasma was immediately purified.  
"I don't intend to fight with you." Eririn said.  
Kagura breathed hard. Bykuya frowned his eyeborws. "What does a priestess want from us demons other than slaying us?"  
Eririn laughed. "I am no longer a priestess."  
"Pariah of the village." Kagura concluded. Eririn nodded with a smile. "I was priestess who followed my dead master's instruction to protect the villagers. But I am tired of those weak beings. I am tired of killing more and more demons. People are so weak and so stupid. They fight over things that are so infinitesimal that I never see any demons would do that. They are greedy. I loath to see them. So I want to a world without humans. I want to help demons to control the world. Will you join me?"  
Kagura chortled. "Don't make fun of me. I agree with everything you just said. But I don't have time to join your scheme."  
Eririn smiled again. She drew a small bag out of her jacket. Then she threw it to the ground and chanted a few words. It was the scene of which Kanna was killed. Kagura stared at Kanna, an illusory figure created by that bag, and watched how Inuyasha destroyed her monster of mirror and Kanna was splitting into thousands of pieces, as a dead as a stone.  
An anger rose in her chest. Even though she knew Kanna was probably under the order of Naraku, she still could not help hating Inuyasha. Kanna! Her only sister! Kanna!Kanna!  
Eririn watched Kagura coolly. "Kagura," Eririn said quietly, "Kagura, do you want to take a revenge" Her voice was mesmerizing. It made her feel very sleepy.  
"Kagura, wake up." Bykuya cut to the air. Something snapped. A moment of fret showed in Eririn's eyes. "She was controlling you with the string of voice. A technique unique to spider demons." Then he turned to Eririn, smiling.  
"Tell me how many demons you have devoured?"  
A corrupted priestess can never attain her spiritual power. But a normal human being can attain the demonic power by eating the flesh of demons. However, most demon's fleshes are toxic. Only ones with purifying power can endure the pains.  
Eririn licked her mouth, eyes glinting. "Are you scared, Kagura? Are you afraid of me eating you up?"  
Fuck. Kagura cursed at Eririn. She didn't care whether Naraku indirectly killed Kannan or not. The fact was that Inuyasha killed Kannan. She had to revenge for Kanna. Don't worry about loneliness, Kanna. Innuyasha would soon to accompany you in the hell. And she would just readily use that priestess. Interesting…humans killing humans…Kagura grinned maliciously and almost looked mad. Her demon blood was shouting and yelling and hailing for blood, danger and wars…  
"I am not scared." Kagura smiled.  
"You seem pretty useful, too. With that brain you can help me to devise strategy." Eririn said to Bykuya.  
"Ladies, I am a very peaceful man." He said, " besides I don't think a world without humans can be fun."  
"Besides," Bykuya chuckled, "my instinct tells me that you are not really telling the truth about why you want to wipe all humans out."  
Eririn felt threatened by his seemingly casual words. But she managed well to hide her emotions. This man is too smart and full of himself, she thought. It is better to stay away without him. But kagura, Oh yes…she desperately must have Kagura.  
Now, what would her first step to revenge be?


	11. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Sesshomaru kept tracing Eririn's smell. His face was calm and indifferent. But he was worried inside. The demonic aura of Eririn started to wear off as he kept looking.

All of this things reminded him of Naraku again. Sesshomaru looked down at Rin who was in a deep sleep. He smiled a little but frowned as well. "Jaken!" he called, " do you have any blanket?"

"Yes. " Jaken pulled a black woolen blanket out of his bag. "Put it over Rin." Sesshomaru ordered. Jaken was a little hesitated. "Rin does not seem cold at all."

"Just do it. Or you want to be killed." Sesshomaru leaned against a birch tree, "let us rest here for tonight."

"But…" if they didn't hurry, Eririn might completely hide her trace by tomorrow morning. Jaken shrank himself under the cold stare of Sesshomaru. He knew too well that he was not in a right mood right now.

Rin slept soundly. Quiet night, smooth warm wind, moonless night. Her breath was long and relaxing. She had a good dream. In her dream, there was her dear lord Sesshomaru who promised never to leave her alone. There was Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku. All of them were smiling happily. Nothing bad happens. She was singing with euphoria and dancing lightly on her toe freely in the world.

Where did she think she was going? Rin turned her back, drooling with a grass stuck in the corner of her mouth. Yes, she can reach the sky, high high above.

"Rin! Rin!" Jaken shook her awoke. Sesshomaru jumped before them. A blurry shadow behind the tree. A familiar scent. Sesshomaru thought: were we besieged?

"Hello, hello." Eririn stepped out of the shadow with an easy smile on her face.

A green light was lasing at Eririn. She spat out a curse and dodged by lowering her back. Sesshomaru didn't let her take a breath. His claws were already touching Eririn's face before she could realize. "Damn you!" Eririn covered her left eye, blood was leaking from her hand. Sesshomaru fretted that his first blow only took her left eye.

He drew his bakusagai and plunged at Eririn's chest. Eririn drew her sword as well. A loud bang. Eririn's sword was against Sesshomaru's Bakusagai. The two were so intense against each other. They were stuck like this for at least two minutes.

Eririn chanted and made a gesture with her right hand which was holding the hilt. Sesshomaru immediately retreated to Rin and Jaken. Almost at the same time he took Rin and Jaken away from the ground, the earth was splitting into half and an enormous mouth appeared to swallow them up. Sesshomaru swing his sword and the mouth shrieked. Eririn laughed at Sesshomaru who disappeared in the dark night.

A dragon demon came after Sesshomaru. Eririn spelled bounded that demon. "Let them go." Eririn said coolly, " Next time we will get them for sure. I will let him pay for my left eye."

Then her left hand unfolded: one seed of demon out of the four was missing. "I have already done what I needed to do to completely destroy Sesshomaru." She smiled mysteriously.


	12. Chapter 13

Friends, I am sorry that I didn't update yesterday. Something serious and dramatic will happen in this chapter. Enjoy.

Chapter 13  
Dark clouds rolled into the sky, looming over the village. The crop field was neatly designed and lined up. Women were taking care of babies and cooking at home. Men went out early in the morning to work the crops. Upon the little hills, Kagome in her red miko pants and white kimono jacket was collecting herbs as a daily assignment from Kaede. She was now the new priestess apprentice. A basket of herbs and flowers. Kagome carried it down satisfactorily to the hut in which she and Inuyasha live.  
Before she pulled up the curtain, a monster of complete darkness plunged out of the hut. Kagome was knocked down unconscious. The dark monster howled and then surged to the sizzling sun.  
"Kagome!" Inuyasha rushed over. His face was distorted with anger and worry and fear…"kagome!" his hands grasped Kagome's shoulders and kept shaking her. Kagome looked like a pale doll, lifeless. "no!" Inuyasha fell over, bawling.  
"Look! What is that dark thing in the sky?" some villager pointed to the sky. Kaede who was conversing to some elderlys heard that. She looked up and was shocked.  
Yes, the sun was slowly disappearing like a sun eclipse. Then she quickly calculated with her hands. No, today was not the sun eclipse. It must be a demon that was eating away the sun. She needed to hurry to tell Inuyasha and kagome. Kaede turned to the direction of the hut, running (walking a little faster with her crutch) –No, Kaede stopped moving because Inuyasha was already before her. Kagome was in his arms.  
"What is wrong with Kagome?" Kaede asked worriedly.  
Inuyasha was grave. After a silent pause, he croaked:" Kagome is dead."  
Dead. Kagome is dead. Horror filled Kaede's old, wrinkled left eye. Her voice was shaking, her knees were failing. Inuyasha watched silently. He knew this was going to happen. He knew it. Strangely he was very calm.  
Villagers eavesdropped their conversation. Children didn't know a thing. But even them felt the terror of the death. The adults were all silent. Kagome was a very good priestess to them.  
"What…what are you going to do?" Kaede looked at Inuyasha. Inuyasha's white hair was flowing in the air with a silver hue. He was tall and straight. He stood solemnly, staring into the far west. Wind blew, sweeping the ground and rustling the leaves on the trees. The world was trapped in a temporary darkness—the only light that seemed to reignite the hope in everybody's heart was the glowing silver light on INuyasha's hair. The villagers all looked up to him—even the taller one was looking up to Inuyasha.  
At this moment, they thought they had seen the God from the heaven.  
"Kagome…" Inuyasha uttered. The time slowed to memorialize this good girl. He scrounged desperately in his mind to find the best memory of Kagome.  
"Inuyasha," as if her soul was slowly rising from her inactive corpse, "I love you." Then a kiss. She turned around and flew away.  
Inuyasha didn't try to catach her.  
Don't worry, he said siently, I will come to find you soon.

***  
Kaede lifted her heavy eyelid as if glued to the bottom of her eye. "Inuyasha," she croaked tiringly, "do you know why the demon killed Kagome?"  
Inuyasha shook his head.  
"Inuyasha," Kaede tottered to give Inuyasha a rosary, "take this with you. It has been created from Kagome's soul." Inuyasha grabbed the rosary.  
"I am going."  
"Please come back safe!"  
He didn't answer.  
Goodbye, Inuyasha. Kaede prayed in her heart.  
He was not coming back.  
And they both knew.


	13. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Long time ago, when Sesshomaru was still a young demon, he overheard a legend from a group of loquacious servants. The legend is that if two people in love row boat in the most sacred lake—Genshuku, if they were truly in love and willing to sacrifice for the other, god of marriage will appear and grant them a scared bonding, which allows them to be together forever. His mother went there once, with Daiyaokuai, of course. He heard that they made a sacred bonding.

But Daiyaokuai still left his mother. One was still living, the other was dead in the land of no return. Had he been foolish enough to believe it? Sesshomaru looked at the peaceful water; he held Rin's small but warm hands gently.

"Rin," He called her name. Rin. What a hopeful name.

Rin answered "yes" and looked at Sesshomaru's contemplating face, wondering what was the matter with Lord Sesshomaru today—so quiet! Not that he had been loud though…he was just really really quiet today…Rin thought hard, biting her mouth.

"Do you want to stay with me…forever?"

"Yes! Lord Sesshomaru!"

Gazing at Rin's soft glowing smile, Sesshomaru unconsciously smiled a little. Her words soothed his unsure heart. How foolish of him to think Rin wanting to leave him. She can't live without him—and he can't survive without her, either.

They boarded the boat. Rin sat on the opposite of Sesshomaru. She had grown into a full-fledged woman: the straight line of her body was curved outward around her bosom and inward at her waist. Her face was thinner and longer—no longer the childish apple-face. When they were alone, he looked at her and found himself thirsty—a thirst for what?

"Lord Sesshomaru." Her voice was sweet and husky. "please take a moment to see tonight's moon. It is so promising." She lowered her head, feeling a little embarrassed but very happy. "I like it to spend sometime alone with you, Lord Sesshomaru. It feels very nice." She whispered.

He rowed the boat and listened to her words quietly. "I don't know what to say. But I never want to leave you again." She continued, "I don't want to leave you ever again."

Then there was the moon, the sky, the tree and the wind. Water reflected the image of two people holding each other's face and kissing. Sesshomaru rubbed against Rin's mouth hard. Rin cried a little. Sesshomaru wiped it off and asked: "Did it hurt?" Rin shook her head. He sighed.

A long kiss.

As if everything was holding its breath. When the two separated again, everything started moving again—the water, the wind and the moon.

Then a soft warm light came from under the water. It shone before Rin and Sesshomaru. A tiny, thumbsized girl walked out of the light. She dressed beautifully. A rose mark on her forehead.

"Are you two who summoned me, the goddess of marriage?"

She asked.

"I didn't summon you." Sesshomaru said coldly.

The goddess of marriage giggled. "Then it must have been you." Her tiny finger pointed at Rin.

Rin was confused. She shook her head. "I didn't know you were here." Rin said honestly.

The Goddess then said to them: "I did hear something. Something that was so strong, so sad, longing with deep love. It looked like you both didn't realize that voice came from you two connected hearts." Then she turned around, making silvery bands of light flying around them. Sparkles. The goddess then slowly grew up and up until she was as tall as Rin. Her face was serene. A holy aura surrounded her entire body, purifying all other evils near them.

"Will you pledge that you would be together?" she held up her wand, a pink silky streamer flowed out of the tip of the wan.

"Yes." Sesshomaru said.

"Yes." Rin smiled at Sesshomaru.

Euphoria. That was what they felt when the streamer tied around their hands. Just a sheer burst of joy, happiness and hope. As if nothing there to stop them from advancing toward the future. Their future. Sesshomaru and Rin's.

"Congratulation." The goddess disappeared.

"Are you afraid?" Sesshomaru suddenly asked, "About kagome's death, about Eririn, about the future danger?"

"No."

"You are a good girl. Always."

Always.


	14. Chapter 15

Chapter 15  
The dark monster was chasing after Kagura. Eririn betrayed her. She wanted Kagura's seed of demon to resurrect her master from death. Kagura sprinted among the bushes, dodging the blow from the dark monster. Kagura hissed and stopped. "Wind of blades" Kagura chanted and waved her magical fan. The monster howled when the wind of blades cut his skins. He groaned furiously and plunged speedily at Kagura who bent over her knees due to exhaustion.  
But Kagura didn't move. She couldn't. The legs were laden with lead…she closed her eyes and thought:"if this means the end, I wish I could see him one more time."  
"Foolish woman!" A loud metallic bang exploded nearby. Is it Sesshomaru? Kagura opened her eyes and only saw InuYasha in red cape. "How lame!" She sighed and struggled to get up.  
"Nah." Inuyasha stood before Kagura, not caring if he was showing his back to Kagura, "Kagome died." At that moment Kagura felt terribly sad and sorry even though she never liked that human girl.  
Is he okay? Kagura gazed at Inuyasha's profile—his long hair flying, casting shadows on his cheeks.  
"is the black monster the demon who killed kagome?" she asked.  
"Yes."  
"Eririn is behind all of this."  
"What is that demon?"  
"It is shiri. A monster evolves from the seed of demon." Kagura said coolly, " And I am its mother." She was not afraid if Inuyasha killed her now.  
"Okay." Inuyasha didn't bat his eyelids at all. He was still standing there with his demonic sword strongly and beautifully. The black monster hollered. A puff of miasma was created from its mouth. Inuyasha dispersed it with wind of scar.  
"Do you know how to defeat shiri?" Inuaysha didn't look at Kagura, "you are its mother afterall."  
Kagura laughed shrilly. "Kill me." She said to Inuyasha. "Kill me and shiri will disappear."  
"Shut up, woman! Don't joke with me right now. We are in a battle!" Inuyasha jumped into the air and crushed the ground into pieces. Shiri opened its mouth and the sun was hiding in its end of the throat.  
"Is the sun its source of energy?" Inuyasha asked. That's it! He was going to destroy the sun…  
But the sun was contaminated with the miasm. Eririn showed up on the top of shiri's head. Her face was vague. "Inuyasha, watch out! Eririn is here!" Kagura shouted.  
Eririn motioned to Kagura who immediately started coughing and Eririn shot an arrow to the heart of Kagura. " Woman, you should not worry about others when you are in danger." Eririn said coldly. She looked different from the last time Kagura had seen her. A demonic horn was grown on the left side of her head and her demonic aura was stinking worse than ever. Yet, Kagura sensed a very weak beating of heart—the human heart which survived upon the purification by monk Enzou's spirit. Didn't that woman know if she continued to let her soul be tainted by the posion she will turn into a demon who loses consciousness of oneself and only kills until it dies? Kagura smiled. That was the end of every half-demon.  
So she didn't even bother to avoid the sacred arrow. Sesshomaru...where is he now?  
I am so tired…want to see him so much…Pitch black. Kagura finally fainted.  
"Kagura!"  
And there was nothing but darkness.


	15. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Eririn didn't know what a normal childhood should be. Since she begun to remember things, there was only him in her blurred eyes. Who was that guy? His smile, his gesture, his back…as if she was viewing something she had imitated for a thousand times and longed for a million times…who was that man?

Eririn. A warm voice sounded. The way he said it made her name almost holy.

Eririn. Tears dropped down her smooth brown face, meeting in her hard jawlines.

Eririn. She remembered who he was. Master! She extended out her arms to reach him. Master! Eririn faltered and fell to her knees. She wore a delicate kimono with patterns of golden fish swimming around her waist. Summer breeze pressed the cool silk against her bare skin.

If all your life you had been alone, and there was a person who appeared in your life and who gave you all that he had ungrudgingly…

Master…I love you. Eririn watched intensely at the battlefield where Inuyasha and Shiri were fighting violently. It seemed that Inuyasha's demonic blood was gradually taking over. His eyes had already turned purple and wild. His claws were grown sharper than ever. And his move was relentless…leaving marks and marks of deep scratches on Shiri's back. Eririn's dark brown eyes were thoughtful and cold.

This turned out to be easier than I thought. Eririn thought to herself. Shiri contained the soul of monk Enzou, her master. But it was shackled by the chains of the hell. Only Teseigai can break that chain.

She grabbed her short flute and swayed toward Kagura who fell unconscious. Kagura's head lowered toward the ground and her whole body was shrank into a small gray pile of dark purple clothes. Eririn mindlessly motioned to Kagura and kagura was floating in the ground. Then she blowed the short flute—it was the beginning of mesmerizing chanting, an ancient technique practiced by the past priests to control demons. The music was weird—sometimes it was sharp and sometimes it was muffled as if whispering into the ear—expectingly Kagura shivered and shivered and shivered like a rattle-drum. Whene the music finally came to end, Kagura opened her eyes and she was acting strange.

"Kagura," Eririn said mockingly, "Kill Sesshomaru for me. You can work with Rin. The seed of demon which I planted in her mind should have sprouted by now."

Kagura nodded her head. The next moment she was gone.

An evil grin bracketed Eririn's mouth.

I can't let you stop me having fun, Sesshomaru.

We should all have fun, after all.

"Ah-chi!"

Sesshomaru sneezed. "What is the matter?" Rin asked worriedly.

Sesshomaru shook his head. "Don't worry." He said with a low and somehow gotten a little sad voice. Rin didn't notice that. After she made sure Sesshomaru was just sneezing, she happily ran forward to pat A-uhn.

Leaves rustled. The scent in the wind was somehow different today. Sesshomaru thought to himself.

Filled…with-Sadness.


	16. Notice from the Author

Hi all! I feel so grateful to those who have cheered me on, especially YaZziLeOn who has read every chapter and gave me a lot of helpful reviews! Thank you YaZziLeOn! I expect this story to be a little bit longer than twenty chapters but shorter than thirty chapters. Right now we are probably heading steadily toward the ending...I know it is very sad! but if the story keeps dragging on I don't think it will be any good. Therefore, please keep waiting patiently for our next...oh no...the final victory! One question: What do you think of Eririn? ..Who is your favorite character? sorry...two questions. Looking forward to your opinions! 


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"Ah!" Inuyasha skipped onto shiri's fluffy but grotesque head, crashing its skull into liquid in a fleeting moment. The headless shiri tottered. But it didn't give up. Shiri grabbed Inuyasha's angle and intended to beat him against the trunk of the tree. Boom! The tree was broken into half. Dark red blood drizzled down Inuyasha's back. He didn't notice nor feel pain and terror.

Shiri howled and grunted, implying that the chain of spirit had been broken.

Good enough. Eririn chanted the long resurrecting song. Kill Inuyasha, Shiri. Useless things had better to be disposed before it spoiled.

In the far east of the forest, where Enzou was buried, Kanna, a demon of mirror which was revived by Eririn, responded to the chant:" THE moon that shone the whole night through  
This autumn morn I see,  
As here I wait thy well-known step,  
For thou didst promise me—  
'I'll surely come to thee."

After the final note of the chanting, millions of energy lights surged out of the mirror and bathed the entire ground with endless silver liquid—the basin of love. Every place that had been affected by the light all turned brown and lifeless. The light was like miasma, only worse. The grey sky with clouds of blackness forbode the imminent disaster. The whole world seemed to sink down into the bottom of the earth.

It is almost there. Eririn thought with wild excitement. Master, wait for me. Wait. I will never leave you alone.

The knoll was centered by charred trees of thick brown trunks. Grass had spread over the hill and a few iris stood out among a vast sea of greenness. It was a peaceful morning. No wind, no bird charming. Just quiet.

A cricket battered its wings.

Before the knoll erected Sesshomaru, Rin and Jaken. They were coming after the grave of Enzou. But none of them dared one step near the grave. A spiritual barrier surrounded the grave. Rin swallowed and gingerly took one step. Sesshomaru stopped her immediately. "Rin, humans can not enter this barrier. It bars everything." Sesshomaru said sturdily.

"Master, what should we do?" Jaken asked.

Sesshomaru slowly drew out his tenseigai. "Is tenseigai able to break the barrier of the bad?" Jaken speculated in his heart. Sesshomaru hefted the sword and crushed it against the air—a crack of energy appeared in the air then slowly it melted into nothing. The barrier was not lifted.

But, there was Enzou, sitting cross-legged on the top of the knoll.

"Are you the monk that is protecting Eririn?" Sesshomaru asked.

"How did you recall me from the world of the death?" Enzou replied with a question. He fixed his eyes on Sesshomaru's tensaiga and then he smiled with an interest. "Is that sword belonging to you? I see. That sword does not belong to this world."

"It does not matter." Sesshomaru said icily, "I am here to destroy you."

Enzou listened flatly. He didn't flinch when he heard that Sesshomaru would kill him. He was dead. It didn't make a difference to be deader.

"Eririn was my dearest family. I can not let her alone." Enzou closed his eyes.

"What do you want?" Sesshomaru stared at this gaunt monk.

"Eririn killed thousands of people. She killed kagome too. The evilness is corrupting her heart. Why are you helping her do more evilness? This is no helping at all." Rin said.

Enzou listened quietly. He seemed to be lost in thought after Rin finished her words.

"She is not a bad girl." Enzou said with nostalgia of the past, "she is just little too stubborn. She just needed a little bit more love. But I failed giving her that when I was able."

"I don't understand!" How irritating! Just because he felt sorry does not mean it is right to kill innocent people! Rin closed her fists and—she looked up—this monk was so cold and cruel.

Sesshomaru blew against the air unexpectedly from the upper right hand. His sword swirled into the air like a ax cutting through a hard metal. Enzou chanted relentlessly, regardless of Sesshomaru's aggression.

"Wind of blades."

Blood gushed out of Sesshomaru's back, pooling the dirt. Kagura landed onto the ground. Jaken was scared to death. He quickly hid behind the bushes. Good thing Kagura didn't take notice to him. Sesshomaru frowned his eyebrow. What's the matter with this woman today?

"Wind of Dances." Tornadoes were approaching Sesshomaru from all sides. Kagura watched with two blank eyes. Rin noticed how strange Kagura looked like.

Was she being controlled by somebody else?


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18  
The smell of new moon stung the enclosed box of memory and sealed emotion. A intense pain in her chest struk Kagura to her knees. The unbroken blue sky blurred in her vision. A strange light flashed in Kagura's eyes, snapping some thread into half. And that moment, Kagura recognized the source of this acute emotion—Sesshomaru! He was right in front of her, but—but why was he bleeding and why was her hand crawling into his chest? Kagura drew back her hand without a second thought—ruddy blood gushed out of Sesshomaru's chest like water out of the water hose.  
On the other hand, Eririn noticed the change of Kagura. "What's the matter?" Shiri asked.  
"Nothing." That woman was not weak. It didn't surprise her to know that Kagura got rid of her control. After all Kagura was a incarnation of Naraku. Even as a priestess in the remote area did she hear much of Naraku's power. Eririn stepped backward, shuffling among the tall grasses. Inuyasha pursued her with inhuman speed. Eririn turned and thrashed forward her sword into Inuyasha's belly. Inuyasha's irises turned redder and a crazy wildness was shown on his deranged face. Eririn did not hesitate to pierce further into Inuyasha's belly. Dark demonic blood started spilling and pooling over the blade of the sword.  
Unexpectedly, Inuyasha grinned. Then he grabbed the hilt from Eririn and took out of the sword from his belly immediately. Eririn was very shocked. She jumped in the air to avoid Inuayasha's swing. But it was a fruitless move. The blade was cut into her left arm. Miasma contaminated the wound. A miracle happened: soft pink light danced around Eririn like a barrier of protection, purifying the miasma.  
Just who was secretly protecting Eririn?

***

Sesshomaru's sleeve rippled in the air as Kagura sprinted toward him and flanked an attack directly toward his face. He was not worried at all; he simply blocked the attack with the sheath. She then tumbled twice on the ground. By the time he was aware of Rin's imprisonment, everything was too late.  
Kagura grabbed the nape of Rin's neck and smirker: "If you move once, I will kill her." Jaken's head stretched before the bush to see what was going on.  
His claws went sharper and longer. "How dare you to think I would be threatened by a mere a human!" He sped to scratch Kagura with his poisonous claws with inhuman speed. Kagura unflured her fan—a strong wind howling disguised Kagura's hideout in a dust bowl.  
You never showed me mercy, did you. Wondered Kagura.  
After the dust bowl died down, both Rin and Kagura disappeared from the sight.  
Unforgivable.

"Return me back to Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin protested. A feather boat was transporting Kagura and Rin on a unfathomable height. She felt dizzy and unreal.  
Kagura said softly: "Do you notice what is in your head that is causing your headache?" A foolish girl though loyal to Sesshomaru.  
Rin opened her eyes wildly. Confusion was written all over her face. The constant throb in the right corner of her head was still there. She had never told anybody about this. How did Kagura figure out? Did that mean she was the one—  
"I didn't do it." Kagura looked straight forward peacefully, "It was Eririn. She planted the seed of demon to control you. If I didn't take you away from him, he would be hurt by you."  
"ME?"A feeling of horror and relief mixed in Rin's heart. This woman…staring at Kagura's pointed ears which were pierced with three holes…Rin could not tell whether she should feel grateful or resentment about her attack on Sesshomaru.  
"Were you pretending attacking lord Sesshomaru?"  
"Why?"  
Kagura scratched her neck. She was unwilling to admit that she was controlled by Eririn.  
"No." That's the truth.  
"Why?"  
This time Kagura arched her eyebrows at this young girl with infurious face. She was just a weak human and yet she was brave enough to interrogate her—the great sorcerer of wind—it seemed like living under his protection only made her unaware of danger.  
What was he thinking anyway…exposing his life this easily to danger that any demon with sense would not risk…  
"I wanted to see he die because I hate to see a demon with a human."  
Kagura rested her arm on her raised knee. This girl was do despicably trifle to her. That was not why she attacked him though. But the feeling that she wanted to see him die in her hands was real. The night was dark without stars. But she still reached out as if holding onto something bright and hopeful. If she ever saw a shooting star, she wished that one day she could be the person who kills him and she could be the only person to witness his death. She loved him deeply and wished him love her as she did as well. Seeing the intense grief in his beautiful cat eyes after she kidnapped the girl pierced through her heart—how ironic that she didn't even have a real heart—but still…Kagura glanced at Rin absentmindedly. Maybe right now he was looking for her with frenzy. To revenge for this girl, maybe? A satirical sigh popped softly out of Kagura's cherry mouth. She was so pathetic.  
Fuck.  
"What's the matter?" After a while, Kagura finally could not ignore Rin's curious gaze.  
"Nothing."  
Ah! This girl was so annoying! Kagura gritted her teeth. Rin laughed to herself silently:"Serve you right!" But more importantly she just discovered something astonishing…Rin moved her lips without a sound.  
They were passing clouds, mountains, villages and rivers..forests at a tremendous speed. The feathery boat was uncomfortable and Rin had to clutch at Kagura's dress in order to not fall off. Wind scrubbed against her face hard. The air was thin and Rin was almost unconscious because of lack of oxygen. Kagura seemed perfectly at ease. Can demon survive without air? What a foolish girl. Kagura knew all what was going on Rin's mind through the seed of demon which teleported everything to Kagura's consciousness. She closed her fans and sat up straight.  
"Watch out. We are now descending."  
There they were. Landed by the bank, Rin rolled out onto the grass with her belly down clumsily. She watched with jealousy as Kagura strolled toward her graciously like a noble princess.

***

"Master Sesshomaru! Master Sesshomaru!" Jaken jumped up and down. "This is a mistake. This has to be a mistake." He sweated. They were heading toward the battle field—the battle between Inuyasha and Shiri. 


	19. Chapter 19

"Master Sesshomaru! Master Sesshomaru!" Jaken jumped up and down. "This is a mistake. This has to be a mistake." He sweated. They were heading toward the battle field—the battle between Inuyasha and Shiri.  
Eririn snaked a smile on her face. A pink kimono embroidered with blue butterflies wrapped around her tall lean body. Her white small feet had sandals on and her hair was curled into an elegant bun with a blue hairpin in the back of her head. She looked just like a princess of a vey old regal warlord. But in Sesshomaru's eyes she was nothing but a disgusting human. So weak that he disdained to kill her with his own hands.  
"Yo." Eririn saw Sesshomaru. "It seemed like Kagura failed to slay you. But she did manage to do some hard to you, right?"  
"I knew it was you."  
"Were you hurt? To see two of your most loved women betray you."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Where is that human girl? Oh, I bet she must have died in your hands." Eririn smirked.  
"Shut up, woman." Sesshomaru said.  
"Never mind that."  
Sesshomaru smelled the familiar demonic blood which belonged to Inuyasha. That retarded half-demon must have rendered himself fallen in trap of this woman. Suddenly, a very loud explosion broke the silent tension. Mountain was busted and stones flying everywhere. Inuyasha emerged from the rukus with a deranged smiled. Shiri was carried by him on his shoulder. Inuyasha slapped shiri onto the ground and guffawed coarsely. Then he looked around sneakily like a wild dog searching for its enemy. Sesshomaru was then found by him. So naturally both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha rushed to the other—bang!  
Bang! Bang! Bang!  
Inuyasha's brute strength was no match for Sesshomaru's bakustgai. He was knocked out by bakustgai's blow. Sesshomaru snorted.  
"Eririn, I shall destroy you." Sesshomaru declared, raising his sword toward Eririn.  
"You can't harm me. My barrier is invincible."  
Sesshomaru frowned. What a persistent woman. Eririn concentrated hard in her head, chanting fervently. Sesshomaru could a feel the air current stirring around him. She was gathering the spiritual energy from the forest, the river, and everything else. Useless attempt.  
As she chanted, she started dancing. Step back, step left, step right, step forward. The movement of her feet matched the music of cymbals.  
One, two, three. She chanted and again and again.  
"Buddha, please let him come back to me. Please let him come back to me…"  
Petals of cherry were swirling in the air incessantly. They then were transformed into the shape of human. Then it grew eyes, eyebrows, mouth and nose. A real man who dressed like a monk.  
Eririn. She heard him calling her gently and sweetly. The soul transplantation was complete. Her master had come back to life. Shiri who had always carried the soul of Enzou now fulfilled his task and was disappeared from the earth.  
Sesshomaru frowned again. Until now he was still confused about this woman's intention. Now he had known why.  
"Eririn, how did you make my body?" He asked her.  
"I used your original body." She lied. Now she was just happy. And she didn't want to ruin the happiness by tell him that his body was forged from a hundred and forty four souls of innocent humans that she had ordered shiri killed. Yes, his body was just like that. But who cared? When he was alive, he had cured and saved hundred, thousand of people. So what if she just used a small fraction of them to remake his body? They should be grateful to her that they could repay his kindness in such an effective way.  
"Eririn, who is he?" Enzou pointed at Sesshomaru.  
"Don't worry about him."  
"eririn, are you still a priestess?"  
"Not anymore."  
"Eririn, why do you revive me?" He sighed and stroke her hair like he used to do, "you must have gone through a lot of trouble."  
"I missed you so much, master!" Eririn buried her head in his arms and cried out, "It hurt really. Just be alone. I was really hurt and lonely."  
"What did you do to yourself?"  
She couldn't hide anymore.  
"A lot of awful things. I didn't regret a bit. I just wanted to see you again."  
"You have lost your spiritual power."  
"That's fine." She whispered with her head down like a child, "not that I wanted in the first place."  
"I feel," he touched his chest, "this body is full of resentment. Resentment that was not familiar with me. Tell me, my child. What have you done to them?"  
She got out of his arm. She looked up straight at him. Her eyes were cold, clear and determined.  
"Why you ask so much? Aren't you happy to be back?"  
"I am happy. Always. Alive or dead."  
"That's not true. When the villagers buried you, you regretted. You told me that you wanted to live instead of become a living Buddha."  
"Maybe you are right." He said slowly.  
Sesshomaru swing his sword. Thousands of ice cubs flew toward Eririn and Enzou. Eririn wielded her sword to protect Enzou. She forged a barrier near Enzou with her remaining spiritual power. Then a tormenting pain in her chest as if squeezing all the air out of her lung. An opening in her bosom and black miasma was spilling out of the rift. She hid it with her hands, turned back from Enzou's worried face. "I am fine. Don't worry about me." She muffled a fit of cough with her sleeves.  
"Huh. It looked like you will die soon with the demonic miasma you stored in your body." Seshomaru drew back his sword. He left soundlessly and Jaken followed him immediately after.  
"Eririn, is he saying the truth?"  
Ah, she really couldn't hide anymore.  
"It is fine."  
Just let her be cool once.  
"Is it because of me?"  
Eririn shook her head, dragging herself to a tree. Then she sat down. Enzou watched her exhausted face. He could not do anything. He could not do anything to save her. He was always like that—watching them to go and pass and leave without any struggle to help them. Why was he so powerless?  
"It must be because of me."  
"I am sorry." Eririn murmured.  
"Don't apologize."  
They both fell silent.  
"Are you happy—"  
"Why are you—"  
"You go first."  
"Fine."  
"Are you happy that you are back?"  
"No, not really. But I am really glad to see you, Eririn."  
"Me too."  
"Your life must be difficult after I left you."  
"I do just fine. Nothing worried me."  
"But you must be really lonely."  
"Is that place lonely?"  
Suddenly she asked an odd question. She was a little restless—what if he liked that place and what if she misunderstood him after all?  
Earth was not a happy place, maybe, for the dead ones.  
Gingerly he took up her hands and kissed them. To her vast surprise, he said to her: "It is not a great place, really. Without you I feel really really lonely."  
"Me too."  
"It has been great to see you."  
"Me too."  
"Fifteen years had passed. You looked mature."  
"You are still the same."  
"You pulled me from the hell," he stared into her water blue and wise big eyes, "I pulled you down to the hell."  
"But I feel really happy now." She was telling the truth. He was here, right here with her,holding her hands and telling her things she had dreamed for a thousand times.  
"I love you." He kissed her fluttered eyelids. I loved you. A sad smile bloomed on her pale face. She struggled to sit up against the tree but failed. Miasma was gradually eroding her body away…her soul was suffering the heaven punishment for violating the rule of the world of the death. Her whole body was stripped with wounds and burns. Yet she smiled relentlessly and so carefreely.  
Enzou held her tight and closer.  
"Thank you." He whispered into her ears.  
Next time, I still want to meet you. Next time, I still want to fall in love with you at the exactly same age and at the exactly same place. But not as a priestess. I want to fall in love with you as a woman. Just a normal, regular human being.  
She beamed until her body lost its warmth. Her body was consumed by a sudden hellish fire. And then the next moment it was turned into ashes. White, grey ashes, emerging with the natural course of the world.  
So that's it.  
Eririn, you finally found your happiness.


	20. Chapter 20 The Finale

Chapter 20  
Who would know that Eririn die before all was over? Nobody knew who killed her. In fact, they didn't know she was dead until all was over and over again.  
When things go wrong, the evils must be on the blame. Eririn killed kagome, forced Kagura to kill Sesshomaru and used Inuyasha to revive her master.  
She was a truly evil person. She was a truly selfish person. And she was a truly powerful priestess.  
God must be so fair. Why did he make the good so weak and the evil so strong?  
Rin did not understand all the things in the world. She wished to at least have a some sort of explanation for why the sky is blue and bird sings and why sun comes out in the morning and leaves at night. Maybe the sun never leave. Maybe the bird does not sing and it is the work of her illusion. Maybe maybe maybe…  
So vast. So deep. And so few words to express herself. She could not catch it—the infinitesimal twitch—to better comprehend the underlying system of the turning world. And it was turning all right. So that is why her head was dizzy.  
All was over. In her heart, there was a tiny hand, holding onto something tightly, without failure. It never went loose for one moment—it was just there—tight and nervous—speaking of a language which she hardly understood.  
Yes, the world was simple.  
No, she was complicated.  
Kagura.  
"I am here to pick you up."  
Kagura, why are you here?  
"Come on, Rin. I am here to take you to the wedding."  
Inuyasha…  
"What about Inuyasha?" Rin asked.  
"Why are we talking about him? It is so boring."  
"Did he die?"  
Suddenly she felt so overwhelmed by an emotion that was neither anger nor sadness—boredom. Don't tell me that he died. Death bores me. Rin thought to herself.  
"I don't know. You will have to find out yourself." Kagura turned her back to Rin and the wind bloated her jacket. Sun casted in her the golden shadows. Rin squinted her eyes. She remembered it now.  
"Will you marry me?"  
Sesshomaru asked her to marry him.  
What did she say? Did she say yes? Did she say no? Saying yes was just boring, like everything was scripted.  
"It is not your wedding." Kagura said, "I am sorry. I am so so sorry."  
Kaugra's receding figure was blurry as if she was slowly shrinking and shrinking.

"Sesshomaru died."  
"He was killed by enzou."  
"It is not your fault, Rin."  
"He chose to protect you."  
"He wanted you to live."  
"be strong…"  
Be strong.

Kagura stared at this handsome monk who emanated a scent of death. Rin hid herself behind Kagura, clutching at her dress.  
"I need this girl." Enzou said to Kagura.  
"O? Why." Kagura raised her eyebrows with a malicious interest.  
"A piece of Eririn's soul is still attached to this girl's mind. It is dangerous for this girl's body because Eririn's soul is so forceful that it will devour the girl's soul eventually.  
"How are you gonna take care of that?"  
"I will have to let her die in order to free her soul." Enzou said calmly.  
"you…" Sesshomaru's sudden appearance before Kagura stopped her tongue. When he approached her, she could not help but skipping a heartbeat and swallowing down a huge lump of saliva. He ignored her.  
"come here, Rin." He said. "we are leaving." Rin happily followed him. But Enzou grabbed her hand and said worriedly: "No, you can't go back. It is dangerous."  
"Let her go." Sesshomaru said.  
"Don't you see that: she has a seed of demon in her head!" Enzou said desperately, "If you didn't take that out, she will be finally devoured by that seed of demon. She is a human. "  
"Seed of demon?" Why did Kagura feed Rin…  
"I didn't do it. It was Eririn." Still she was a little hurt by Sesshomaru's readily suspicion.  
"Lord Sesshomaru, what's wrong with me?"  
"Nothing, nothing. You are just fine."  
And the seed of demon took over her body and was turned into a demon at the end. Sesshomaru sacrficied himself to save her. Eririn's seed of demon was attached to his body. Even though Eririn was defiled, her salvation was achieved at the end. Therfore, her soul was purified again. A demon can never endure the purity of a priestess's soul. So of course he was totured to death while Rin was still in the state of coma.  
From time to time, she could hear Eririn's smirk vaguely. SO this was her final revenge. And why she wanted to kill Lord Sesshomaru? What did he ever do wrong?  
Loving a human is the most deadliest thing to a demon, says the cursed witch Tsubaki.  
Rin bawled. She kept crying and crying and crying until all of her tears ran out and turned cold and red and until everything was dark beyond the lightest touch of the God.  
They were destined to be together, said the god of the marriage.  
But she forgot to mention that they were destined to be together not in this world but in another.  
I love you, Lord Sesshomaru.


End file.
